Apple supplier Foxconn’s iPhone manufacturing facility in Sriperumbudur near the Tamil Nadu is reportedly set to start manufacturing iPhone 13 in India. According to a report in financial daily Business Standard, “Apple is expected to start manufacturing the iPhone 13 at the Foxconn plant in Sriperumbudur near Chennai from April….” The report quoting sources adds that the phones will be for both the domestic and export market.
However, if you think that ‘made in India’ iPhone 13 means you will have to pay less, then that’s not the case. Over the years, several iPhone models have been ‘made in India’ but there has been no special pricing for these devices. Apple does not alter the pricing of the phones that are ‘made’ in India. Perhaps when the volume increases buyers in India may see a cost adavantage. Some of the iPhones ‘made in India’ include, iPhone 11 and iPhone 12.
The Foxconn plant at Sriperumbudurbut was closed on December 18 2021 after protests over 250 of its workers who fell sick with food poisoning. Apple had placed the factory on probation after discovering that some dormitories and dining rooms did not meet required standards. The plant opened earlier this year, but its not clear if Chinese company’s entire 17,000 workforce has resumed work.
Foxconn has been making the iPhone 12 and testing production of the iPhone 13 at the Sriperumbudur facility, its only plant in India, as per government officials. Apple has eight other suppliers in India including Wistron, Foxlink, Flex Limited, Jabil IncorporatedLingyi iTech, Shenzhen YUTO Packaging Technology, Sunwoda Electronic Company Limited and Zhen Ding Technology Holding Limited.